STEPHEN CENATIEMPO:
Well, it is the last sitting week of the year for the Federal Parliament. The circus is back in town and to talk to us about that amongst other things is the Shadow Minister for the Environment and Shadow Minister for Youth, Angie Bell. Angie, good morning.
ANGIE BELL:
Good morning, Stephen. Great to be with you.
On the eve of the final sitting week for 2025 – Labor has set the scene with a self-imposed pre-Christmas deadline to pass their Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act reforms.
Despite the rush, the Coalition is yet to see amendments from the Government.
When the Treasurer and Environment Minister came out of the August productivity roundtable, the solution to all their problems – or so it appeared – was accelerated Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) reform.
The Albanese Labor Government has once again used their super majority in the House of Representatives to arrogantly gag debate.
This time, on the important and complex Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act legislative reform package of 1,459 pages.
TOM CONNELL:
Joining me now is Shadow Environment Minister Angie Bell, who’s been combing through this Bill. Thank you for your time. So, you’re not supporting the laws as they stand. Going through a few of your points that you’ve made. So, you say there’s no improvement.
The Bill does talk about avoiding duplication in terms of having the approval powers at state, not federal level. That would be an improvement, wouldn’t it, in terms of duplication, which a lot of people complain about?
PATRICIA KARVELAS:
Angie Bell is the Shadow Environment Minister. She joins me now. Welcome.
ANGIE BELL:
Great to be with you, PK.
PATRICIA KARVELAS:
If Roger Cook, who is not exactly a greenie, I think it’s fair to say, says pass the laws, why shouldn’t you?
I had the great pleasure of hosting the Leader of the Opposition when she visited my electorate of Moncrieff last week. One of the standouts of her visit was introducing the leader to exceptional young leaders at Merrimac State High School. It’s a beautiful school that I have the privilege of visiting regularly. It’s not far from my home. It’s one of the 34 schools in the electorate of Moncrieff, and I love all of them.
I rise to speak on the Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025, the first of seven bills, which will now be considered separately, on the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. As I’ve said from the very start of this process, when I became the shadow minister for the environment, environmental reform is too important to get wrong. I speak to mainstream Australians about this, about the things that impact them, and there are many things wrong with this reform from those opposite.
Today in the House of Representatives, Labor moved to squash debate on the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act reform Bills.
The reform consists of seven Bills, each individually introduced and spoken to by Labor in the House on Thursday, 30 October 2025.
We’re very happy on this side that the beard’s gone. Australia is the best country in the world, with the most iconic flora and fauna. Our ecosystem is unique and must be protected, but it seems to be going backwards under this government.